Conference back40::soapbox

Alliance against Scientology

Calls for severe measures increase -- Kniola calls for a Ban

DW Bonn - 12 August 1996 - With no regard to the criticism from the USA,
demands for severe measures against the Scientology Organization are
increasing in German political parties.  The Interior Minister of
North-Rhine Westfalia, Franz-Josef Kniola (German Socialist Party)
this weekend demanded a uniform nationwide action against Scientology,
describing it as an "intolerant and racist organization, an enemy of the
constitution."  Scientology must be put under observation by the state
and federal protectors of the constitution.

Kniola emphasised that Scientology is neither church nor sect, rather a
commercial enterprise operating from its basic principles with criminal
methods.  Commerce is, however, not its main goal.  Scientology pursues
only one goal: "the scientologically cleansed society."  Thus the
organization is an enemy of the constitution, and must be banned by
Federal Interior Minister Kanther.

Bavarian Governor Edmund Stoiber (Christian Social Union Party) demanded
federal adoption of the measures taken by his cabinet, under which applicants
for public service after the 1st of November will be asked about membership
in Scientology.  The Nation and the States must exhaust all possibilities
against Scientology.

Bavarian Interior Minister G�nther Beckstein (Christian Social Union Party)
warned of the danger that the "systematic exploitation of people" by
Scientology is directed against democratic principles.  Scientology
representative Franz Riedl called the reaction of the politicians against
0.04% of the population -- the organization has 30,000 members in Germany --
"madness and hysteria."

     ------------------------------------------------------------------

     Allianz gegen Scientology

     Rufe nach hartem Vorgehen mehren sich - Kniola fordert Verbot

     DW Bonn - Ungeachtet der Kritik aus den USA mehren sich in den
     deutschen Parteien Forderungen nach einem h�rteren Vorgehen gegen
     die Scientology-Organisation. Der nordrhein-westf�lische
     Innenminister Franz-Josef Kniola (SPD) forderte am Wochenende ein
     bundesweit einheitliches Vorgehen gegen Scientology, bei der es
     sich um eine "verfassungsfeindliche, intolerante, rassistische
     Organisation" handele. Scientology m�sse vom Verfassungsschutz des
     Bundes und der L�nder observiert werden.

     Scientology sei weder Kirche noch Sekte, sondern vom Grundsatz her
     ein mit kriminellen Methoden arbeitendes Wirtschaftsunternehmen,
     betonte Kniola. Wirtschaften sei jedoch nicht Selbstzweck.
     Scientology verfolge nur ein Ziel: "die scientologisch gereinigte
     Gesellschaft". Damit sei die Organisation verfassungsfeindlich.
     Bundesinnenminister Kanther m�sse Scientology verbieten.

     Der bayerische Ministerpr�sident Edmund Stoiber (CSU) verlangte,
     die von seinem Kabinett beschlossenen Ma�nahmen, wonach Bewerber
     f�r den �ffentlichen Dienst vom 1. November an nach einer
     Mitgliedschaft in Scientology befragt werden, bundesweit zu
     �bernehmen. Bund und L�nder m��ten gegen Scientology alle
     M�glichkeiten aussch�pfen.

     Der bayerische Innenminister G�nther Beckstein (CSU) warnte vor
     der Gefahr, da� die "systematische Ausbeutung der Menschen" durch
     Scientology gegen die demokratische Grundordnung gerichtet sei.
     Scientology-Sprecher Franz Riedl nannte die Reaktion der Politiker
     auf 0,04 Prozent der Bev�lkerung - die Organisation habe 30 000
     Mitglieder in Deutschland - "Wahnsinn und Hysterie".

     Copyright: DIE WELT, 12.8.1996

     Thetanen im Big Business

     Warum sich Scientology bevorzugt auf dem Immobilienmarkt tummelt

     Von HANS-W. LOOSE
     Der Streit um den Spielfilm "Mission: Impossible" hat zu heftigen
     Verstimmungen zwischen Washington und Bonn gef�hrt. Grund:
     Hauptdarsteller Tom Cruise ist Anh�nger einer Organisation, die
     nach deutscher Lesart mit ihrer Heilslehre nicht weniger als die
     Weltherrschaft anstrebt.

     Bonn - Bayerns Ministerpr�sident Edmund Stoiber (CSU) nennt
     Scientology "eine verfassungsfeindliche, intolerante, rassistische
     Organisation, die unsere Gesellschaft zu einem totalit�ren Regime
     umgestalten will". Die SPD-Sektenexpertin Renate Rennebach will,
     da� der Rechtsstaat die "totalit�re und faschistoide Organisation"
     bek�mpft. Bundesarbeitsminister Norbert Bl�m (CDU) ruft nach dem
     Verfassungsschutz, "um den R�delsf�hrern dieses
     menschenverachtenden Kartells das Handwerk zu legen". Ein
     Scientology-Sprecher kontert: "Politische Maulhelden!"

     Die Liste der Scientologen ist illuster, sie reicht von Tom Cruise
     �ber seine Schauspielerkollegen John Travolta und Priscilla
     Presley �ber den Jazzpianisten Chick Corea bis zur Sopranistin
     Julia Migenes. Kein Au�enstehender kennt Fakten und Zahlen �ber
     die Organisation, die im Sekten-Dorado Amerika als Kirche gilt.
     Weltweit werden in 74 L�ndern zwischen acht und 25 Millionen
     Mitglieder vermutet, in Deutschland zwischen 20 000 und 70 000.

     Alles begann im Jahr 1950. Der Science-fiction-Autor Lafayette
     Ronald Hubbard schrieb f�r Laien das Psycho-Buch: "Dianetics: Die
     Moderne Wissenschaft der geistigen Gesundheit". Um Leserfragen zu
     beantworten, stellte er Helfer ein. So entstand 1954 nach den
     Aussagen seines Sohnes Ron de Wolfe aus steuerlichen Gr�nden die
     "Church of Scientology". Ihre Mitglieder begreifen "Dianetik", ein
     Sammelsurium der Ideen von Buddha bis Freud, als Heilslehre.

     Ursula Caberta, Sektenbeauftragte des Hamburger Senats, hat f�r
     die Industrie- und Handelskammer (IHK) K�ln Hubbards System
     durchleuchtet. In jedem Menschen stecke demnach ein "Thetan".
     Zitat aus dem Schulungsmaterial: "Vor 35 Milliarden Jahren l�ste
     ein b�ser F�rst namens Xenn das Problem der �berbev�lkerung auf
     einem anderen Planeten, indem er zwei Milliarden Thetanen zur Erde
     brachte, die zu jener Zeit ,Teegeeack' hie� - er stopfte sie in
     Wasserstoffbomben, die er in einem Vulkankrater explodieren lie�."
     Das unsterbliche Geisteswesen "Thetan" m�sse von hemmenden
     irdischen Verkrustungen befreit werden. Scientologen sollen mit
     Hilfe eines "E-Meters", einer Art L�gendetektor, "Engramme" und
     "Aberrationen" aufsp�ren und zerst�ren. Wer das schafft, gilt als
     "Clear". Der n�chste Schritt auf dem Weg �ber die "Br�cke zur
     v�lligen Freiheit" beginnt mit dem "Auditing" zum "Operierenden
     Thetan". Ein "OT" ist laut Hubbard Herrscher �ber Materie,
     Energie, Raum und Zeit - gefreit gegen Krankheit, atomare Strahlung
     und Homosexualit�t. Hubbard hatte 15 "OT"-Grade eingeplant, aber
     nur neun freigegeben. F�r h�here Weihen fehle es Adepten an
     geistiger Reife, befand er.

     Hubbards Phantasien wurden zur Basis eines weltumspannenden
     Imperiums zur Gewinnmaximierung. Das Bundesarbeitsgericht in
     Kassel urteilte, Scientology sei ein Wirtschaftsunternehmen, keine
     Kirche. Das Bundesverwaltungsgericht Berlin verpflichtete
     Scientology, f�r den Verkauf von B�chern und Kursen mit
     gesch�tzten 150 Millionen Mark Jahresumsatz ein Gewerbe
     anzumelden.

     An der Spitze der Scientology-Zentrale in Kalifornien steht nach
     heftigen F�hrungsk�mpfen Heber C. Jentzsch als Pr�sident. Die
     K�lner IHK hat in ihrer Zeitschrift "Markt und Wirtschaft"
     analysiert: Das "Religious Technology Center" (RTC) h�lt seit
     Hubbards Tod 1986 alle Lizenzen und Vermarktungsrechte. Die
     F�hrungsmannschaft gliedert sich in die Computerabteilung
     "Incomm", das "Senior Executive Strategic Committee" und das
     "Finance Office". Das "Watchdog Committee" als �berwachungsapparat
     kontrolliert alle Zweige von Scientology: die "Church", die
     "Association for Better Living und Education" (ABLE) und das
     "World Institute of Scientologist Enterprises International"
     (WISE).

     WISE hat seine Schwerpunkte in den Bereichen Fortbildung, Software
     und Unternehmensberatung. Die Organisation vergibt Lizenzen an
     Unternehmen, kassiert die Geb�hren und beh�lt sich das Recht vor,
     jederzeit die Buchhaltung zu kontrollieren. Hubbard zeigte in
     seiner "F�hrungsanweisung ED 1040" den Weg auf: "Suche Dir ein
     Gesch�ft aus, welches bereits sehr gut arbeitet. Wende Dich an den
     h�chsten Direktor. Biete ihm an, daf�r zu sorgen, da� sein
     Gesch�ft ihm mehr Geld einbringt. Lokalisiere Gegner in der
     Organisation und wirf sie hinaus. Zeige den leitenden
     Angestellten, um was es sich handelt; das wird dann den Zyklus in
     Gang setzen: Die leitenden Angestellten werden die Jungmanager und
     das andere Personal dazu dr�ngen, Audit-Sitzungen zu nehmen."

     Angelika Christ, Vorsitzende der Sekteninformation und Selbsthilfe
     Hessen/Th�ringen, schreibt in ihrem Buch "Scientology im
     Management" �ber die Praktiken: "Es entsteht ein ineffizienter
     Verwaltungs-Wasserkopf." Die K�lner IHK kennt F�lle, in denen
     Unternehmen mit 44 Mitarbeitern in drei Stabsstellen, sieben
     Abteilungen und 20 Bereiche auf- und untergliedert worden seien.
     Unternehmen als WISE-Lizenznehmer m��ten zwischen f�nf und 18
     Prozent des Umsatzes an die Zentrale abf�hren: "Aufgrund des
     immensen Erfolgsdrucks ist das Unternehmen praktisch gezwungen,
     seine Kunden �ber den Tisch zu ziehen."

     Die Wirtschaft versucht sich abzuschotten. Unternehmen pochen vor
     Vertragsabschl�ssen immer h�ufiger auf die Klausel, da� der
     Bewerber kein Scientologe ist. Der Verband Deutscher
     Unternehmensberater in Bonn ist laut Gesch�ftsf�hrer Wilfried
     Domke nach einem Abgleich der 462 Mitgliedsgesellschaften mit
     Namen aus Sekteninfos zumindest sicher, "da� in den F�hrungsetaten
     der Beratergesellschaften keine Scientologen sitzen". Die
     Warsteiner Brauerei steckte 200 000 Mark in eine Anzeigenkampagne
     - gegen Ger�chte, die sie in die N�he von Scientology r�ckten.

     Die Abteilung "Sicherheit" beim Deutschen Industrie- und
     Handelstag (DIHT) in Bonn nennt Scientology eine "tickende
     Zeitbombe", eine "Organisation, auf Befehl und Gehorsam
     aufgebaut". Sie schaffe "den gl�sernen Menschen, der sich ohne
     Mitspracherecht allen Richtlinien unterwerfen mu�" und bilde "ein
     weltweites Wirtschaftsunternehmen, milit�risch strukturiert,
     vergleichbar mit der Mafia". Scientology sei "eine Gefahr f�r den
     Wirtschaftsstandort Deutschland" und "belieb�ugelt gerade
     Immobilienmakler".

     Der Ring Deutscher Makler (RDM) beschlo� 1995: Die Arbeitsweise
     nach Hubbard ist mit den Standesregeln nicht vereinbar.
     Scientology war l�ngst aktiv. Der Hamburger Makler Peter Landmann
     klagte, bei jedem zweiten Umwandlungsgesch�ft von Miet- in
     Eigentumswohnungen streckten Scientologen Fangarme aus - "mit
     Methoden, die nicht den Regeln eines ehrbaren Kaufmanns
     entsprechen". Im boomenden Berlin wu�ten Senat und seri�se Makler
     von 20 Scientology-Filialen, die Firmenschilder �nderten wie ein
     Cham�leon die Farbe. Sie kauften bewohnte Mietsh�user von �lteren
     Eigent�mern oder zerstrittenen Erbengemeinschaften, zahlten einen
     Teil des Kaufpreises an und versprachen, den Rest nach einem Jahr
     zu �berweisen. "Berater" dr�ngten die Mieter zum Kauf der Wohnung
     oder zum Auszug. Ein Makler: "Lehnen die Mieter ab, werden sie
     systematisch vergrault; �ltere und rechtsunkundige Bewohner werden
     oft unter Druck gesetzt."

     Hamburgs Sektenfachfrau Caberta warnt: "Mittels ,Love-bombing'
     werden die Menschen Schritt f�r Schritt an die Organisation
     herangef�hrt. Das erste, was systematisch abgebaut wird, ist die
     Kritikf�higkeit. Und das geht verdammt schnell." Wie bei Martin
     Beyer, Inhaber eines angeschlagenen K�lner Reparaturdienstes. Ein
     Nachbar �berredete ihn, den Kurs "Grundlagen der Dianetik" in
     D�sseldorf zu besuchen. Die Kursleiter machten
     "Studienschwierigkeiten" aus und rieten zu einem
     Kommunikationskurs; Beyer willigte ein. Er wurde an die
     "Qualit�tsabteilung" verwiesen, um "Definitionen zu lernen",
     gew�hnte sich an das neue Gedankengut und war schlie�lich
     �berzeugt: "Das ist es, was ich brauche." Der Gesch�ftsmann
     �berwies 40 000 Mark f�r seine Ausbildung, machte ein paar gute
     Ums�tze, zahlte zehn Prozent Provision an Scientology und erkannte
     zu sp�t, "da� mir das betriebswirtschaftliche Wissen und die
     Infrastruktur fehlten".

     Als er die Werkstattmiete nicht mehr bezahlen konnte, ging er zum
     Konkursrichter. Nun wei� er, da� er nie ein "Clear" oder gar ein
     "Operierender Thetan" werden wird - und ber�t Sektenopfer.

     Copyright: DIE WELT, 12.8.1996

  INDEPENDENT, 9 August 1996

Germany's mission imperative

IMRE KARACS
Bonn

 A "bunch of extremists and fanatics" in Chancellor Helmut Kohl's Christian 
Democratic party were organising a boycott yesterday of the Hollywood 
blockbuster Mission Impossible, and all because of the religious affiliation 
of its main star, Tom Cruise.
  
 That, at least, was the considered view from the Hamburg headquarters of the 
Church of Scientology, under whose influence Cruise was said to have fallen. 
The German government is trying to ban Scientology, and Mr Kohl's youth wing, 
the Christian Union, decided to strike the first blow against the 
"totalitarian organisation'.
  
 "The tactic of Scientology is to connect it with the notion of success," said 
Burkhard Remmers, head of the Christian Union in the state of Lower Saxony. 
"That is aided by the many US stars who go on publicity tours in Europe. But 
Scientology does not mean success." 
 
 That has certainly not been Cruise's experience, whose latest box-office hit 
opened in Germany last night. Its low-key launch has been boosted by the young
Christians' publicity campaign, virtually guaranteeing good takings through 
the summer doldrums. Party members planned to stand in front of cinemas, 
handing out leaflets denouncing the "dangerous wheeling and dealings of the 
Scientology organisation".  

 "There is a fad going on in Germany," said Franz Riedl, a spokesman for the 
Church. "Politicians who can't make waves in other ways use Scientology to 
grab headlines."  

 That certainly appears to be the case this time, but concern in official 
German circles about Scientology, which has an estimated 30,000 members in 
Germany, is deep-seated and genuine. Earlier this year, Bonn's family ministry
issued a  pamphlet accusing Scientology, a Californian-based Church which 
believes in the fulfilment of the individual as a spiritual being, of trying 
to undermine democracy in a bid for world domination.
  
 On Wednesday, Johannes Gerster, head of the Christian Democratic Union in 
Mr Kohl's home state of Rhineland-Palatinate, called for Scientologists to be 
banned from government jobs. "We firmly believe that Scientology has 
unconstitutional goals," said Mr Gerster, who unveiled a 10-point list of 
proposed curbs on Scientology, to be submitted to the party's national 
conference in the autumn. 

  THE TIMES, 9 August 1996

Anti-cult picket at Cruise's new film  

FROM ROGER BOYES
IN BONN

 ANGRY young Germans yesterday picketed cinemas throughout the country to 
protest against the involvement of Tom Cruise, the American actor, with the 
Scientology sect.

 The protests - organised by the normally placid youth wing of Helmut Kohl's 
Christian Democratic Union - are a token of the growing political pressure in 
Germany against Scientology, which has been actively recruiting. 
 
 Paul Stefan Mauz, a Christian Democrat member of parliament, claimed 
yesterday that Cruise was a "high-ranking" Scientologist and that, as the 
leading actor and co-producer of Mission: Impossible, he was likely to swell 
the coffers of the sect.
  
 Herr Mauz is trying to persuade the Government to restrict subsidies to 
cinemas that show films starring known Scientologists. The Christian 
Democratic youth wing took up the cry and is picketing many of the 600 cinemas
showing Mission: Impossible.  

 "We want to fight the sect and not cinema-goers as such," said Burkhard 
Remmers, the regional chairman of the young Christian Democrats in Lower 
Saxony.  

 Renate Rennebach, a Social Democratic deputy and opposition spokeswoman, 
argued that a film boycott "made a great deal of sense", if it emerged that 
the film was partly financed by the sect. However, she said it was wrong to 
boycott the film simply because Cruise is known to be a Scientologist. 

Looks like the British press is a bit confused over this one.

While the CSU/CDU coalition is the ruling party, and the SPD is the
opposition, the German press is making it completely clear that both
are ready for a crackdown on Scientology.

Renate Rennebach of the Social Democrats, quoted in the British press as
urging restraint on the film boycott, is quoted in the German press as
calling for the federal government to fight the "totalitarian and faschist"
Scientology Organisation.

I suspect Germany will be no more successful in banning the Scientologists
than they have been in banning the neo-Nazis.

/john

>I suspect Germany will be no more successful in banning the Scientologists
>than they have been in banning the neo-Nazis.
    
    WIthout meaning to be perjorative here, are you equating the two
    organisations? In what way?

The German Social Democrats are equating them by calling them totalitarian
and fascist.

/john

    I know that the S. folk are scummy and all that, but there is a
    magnitude of difference between them and those that pretend the
    Holocaust never happened.

OK, so will that difference make it easier for Germany to ban them?

/john

    Nope. Hyperbolae never helps in these kinds of situations. Accuracy is
    crucial if distraction is not sought.

I'm not really sure where the hyperbole is.

If this organization is as dangerous as the Mafia (which the German
government claims), then it is potentially more dangerous than a bunch
of disorganized skinheads who spread the lie so few believe that the
holocaust never occurred.

The descriptions of how the Scientologists have moved in on German
corporations and real estate holdings are rather spectacular.

My statement was that Germany might not be any more successful stopping
the Scientologists than they have been stopping the neo-Nazis.  The
German government seems to think they are quite as dangerous.

/john

    Ok, who am I to argue. Good luck to 'em.

re .6:

They certainly not Nazis but they can be extremely troublesome to those who
criticize them or stand in their way.  They love to sue over any criticism
and the press is generally gunshy about reporting on them.

As far as comparisons to Nazis, Scientology has been comparing the current
German government to Nazis since the government ruled they didn't deserve
the status of a religion in Germany.  They also make some comparisons of this
"persecution" to the early Nazi persecution of Jews. 

    .13
    
    In addition to being a totalitarian organization based on mind control,
    Scientology is one of the cleverest pyramid schemes in existence.  It's
    a plague that should be stamped out.

    Yes, but aren't you just the tiniest bit proud of being from the
    country that created the cleverest pyramid scheme in existence?

    It's considerer irresponsible cowardice not to challenge pyramid
    schemes in Germany.  This is a little known fact that I just made up.

re .14:

I think it is more of a bait-and-switch scheme than a pyramid scheme.

  .17  there's sphinx involved in either case.

-1:

agagagaga!

    .17
    
    > I think it is more of a bait-and-switch scheme than a pyramid scheme.
    
    I *know* it is a pyramid scheme.  I *know* how members' bonuses are
    calculated for recruiting additional people.

  questioning hare binder about a pyramid scheme, madman?  tut, tut.

    it's good way to make a lot of mummy.

  yep, sounds like it tomb me.

Madman's in denial over his error.  It's quite Cleo that Binder knows whereof
he speaks.

    yep, he's always busting our cheops over this kind of stuff

 .24  maybe hare binder was a victim.  not likely that egypt anyone.

.20:

Ok, it's a pyramid scheme.  It's a bait-and-switch scheme.  It's a floor wax.

.21:

>  questioning hare binder about a pyramid scheme, madman?  tut, tut.

Don't encourage me about debates on _that_ kind of pyramid scheme, I have some
heavy artillary to draw on....

-Madman

    I don't get it. What's so bad about thes Scientology people? What do
    they believe in? I can't recall hearing about these people, and I don't
    understand where the controversy is.
    -ss

There are _lots_ of web pages critical of Scientology that can answer your
question, especially regarding their battle against the Internet (mostly
the Usenet newsgroup alt.religion.scientology)

An "Introduction to Scientology?" web page from a critic's viewpoint is at
http://www.tiac.net/users/modemac/cos.html

A 1991 Time Magazine cover story on Scientology is at
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Fishman/time-behar.html

(Scientology sued Time for over $400,000,000 over this article, after several
years of litigation the case was thrown out)

A very extensive "Church of Scientology vs. the Net" page is at
http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html

There are many links to critical pages off of this page:
http://home.pacific.net.sg/~marina/misc/arshtml.htm

That Time Magazine story is particularly damning; it makes the Scientologists
appear to be significantly more dangerous than Germany's current disorganized
neo-Nazis.  (Which is not to say that the neo-Nazis are not dangerous or that
they wouldn't be more dangerous if they got as organized as the original
Nazis.)

/john

re .30:

>            -< But will boycotting Mission Impossible do any good? >-

Actually the boycott may get more interesting soon.  What will happen when
Phenomenon opens in Germany?  Travolta is also a Scientologist, and unlike
Mission Impossible where Cruise's religion is irrelevant to the story itself,
Scientology claims its highest level members get powers similar to what
Travolta's character obtains in Phenomenon.

    I have a sibling involved heavily in Scientology.
    
    Buncha bananas.  Truly scary stuff.  Costs huge money.  If approached,
    I'd advise run like hell in the other direction.
    
    On the other hand, for shoot-em-up science fiction, L. Ron is hard to
    beat.

    >On the other hand, for shoot-em-up science fiction, L. Ron is hard to
    >beat.
    
    Yeah, just look at Scientology. :-)
    
    Bright Blessings,
    
    PJ

    I didn't know Tom Cruise was a closet Scientologist.  When did he come
    out of the hubbard?

    He let on when out for a Ron.

    So the Germans are dianetic him off?

Squash Hubbard!

    ...and the Old Mother whose dog had no bone.

    That was some kind of gardening joke wasn't it, Gerald.  

    I believe John Travolta is, or has been, a scientologist.
    
    Many years ago Martin Gardner wrote a really hostile piece about
    scientology and L. Ron Hubbard. A masterful job too.

Karen Black's a Scientologist too.

    Extra: The US Gov't will retaliate by refusing to allow in any German cars
    that have Cruise control.
    

    It's about Tom!

    
    	Who're you trying to Kid, man?
    

    .32
    
    > On the other hand, for shoot-em-up science fiction, L. Ron is hard to
    > beat.
    
    Every Hubbard book sold returns a royalty to the Church of Scientology. 
    Keep buyin' them books, folks, support the Church.

    I like the part about the books that keep coming out, even though he's
    been dead for quite a while (what, 15 years?).
    
    I guess he did a lot of writing the last day or two...

Good ad for Scientologists, I guess.  Writing after death.

    post-humus literature.

    litter-raght-chyear.

The annual U.S. State Department report on Human Rights blasts Germany for
its treatment of Scientologists, stating that, "Business firms whose owners
or executives are Scientologists may face boycotts and discrimination,
sometimes with government approval."

Germany has denounced the criticism, saying that its Nazi past permits it
to make special efforts to suppress extremist groups.  Scientologists in
Germany, on the other hand, compare their current situation with that of
the Jews in pre-War Germany.

/john

>Germany has denounced the criticism, saying that its Nazi past permits it
>to make special efforts to suppress extremist groups.  Scientologists in
>Germany, on the other hand, compare their current situation with that of
>the Jews in pre-War Germany.

Time to invite these guys in the 'box.

    .64
    
    > Time to invite these guys in the 'box.
    
    I don't think so.

A "Scientology in Germany" "faq" by a German critic of Scientology is at:

http://www.snafu.de/~tilman/faq-you/germany.txt

An interesting link found on Tilman's home page is

	http://www.bayern.de/STMI/Scientology/

Useful only if you read German, it is an _official_ Bavarian Government page
entitled "Measures of the Bavarian State Government against Scientology."

OH.  Here's the English version of the page.  Not quite as many links, but
it includes the "Bavarian 15 point catalog of measures against Scientology."

	http://www.bayern.de/STMI/Scientology/welcomeE.htm

/john
                                 

Interesting editorial from MS NBC is at:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/53640.asp

On Thursday, Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., introduced a House resolution
condemning the German government for discrimination against Scientologists.

Actress Anne Archer, singer Isaac Hayes and jazz musician Chick Corea
all appeared together with Payne in a press conference announcing the
resolution.

The German embassy responded that the German government does not consider the
Church of Scientology a religion, but a business that must be regulated.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has promised to bring the matter up
with German leaders during her stop in Bonn next week. 

The resolution is H. Con. Res. 22.

/john

    Doing an AltaVista simple search for "dianetics" or "scientology"
    always seems to pop up an ad for Scientology.
    
    I thought these ads were random...